Yummy Lummy

A blog about food and me

Tag: Blue vein cheese

  • Local lamb chops with potato gems, and blue vein cheese sauce

    Local lamb chops with potato gems, and blue vein cheese sauce


    I’ve been eating a lot of beef lately. I had a craving for some lamb. My butcher sells local lamb.

    Today I’ve consumed more carbohydrates than I’ve eaten in a long time, so I thought I may as well have some potato gems too.

    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Lamb chops
    • Potato gems
    • Beef fat
    • Lemon zest
    • Pomegranate arils
    • Butter
    • Pure pouring cream (no thickeners)
    • Cream cheese
    • Blue vein cheese
    • Dijon mustard
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Freshly cracked black better

    Equipment

    • Weber Q+ barbecue grill
    • Cast iron grill pan
    • Saucepan
    • Wooden chopstick
    • Micro plane
    • Gas torch

    Instructions

    1. Dry-brine the lamb chops.
    2. Ignite the gas in the Weber Q+ and close the lid. Allow it to heat for 10 minutes.
    3. Cook the potato gems in beef fat in the Weber Q+.
    4. Cook the lamb chops atop the heated cast-iron grill pan with the Weber Q+ lid down.
    5. Melt some butter in a small saucepan and then add a dash of cream. Stir in a dollop of cream cheese and then crumble in the blue vein cheese. Stir the sauce with the chopsticks and add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Turn off the gas and keep stirring while the sauce thickens. Add some freshly cracked pepper.
    6. Place the lamb chops and potato gems on a dinner plate. Spoon over the sauce. Place pomegranate arils onto the sauce and then some lemon zest.
    7. Grate some Parmesan cheese with a micro plane over the potato gems and quickly melt with a gas torch.

    Photographs

    Select an image and then scroll through them.

    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.
    Local South Australian lamb chops cooked on a Weber Q+ grill with potato gems cooked in beef fat. Served with blue vein cheese sauce with pomegranate arils and lemon zest.

    Thoughts on the meal.

    Lamb chops cooked outside on a barbecue grill on a lovely sunny day are fantastic. The crunchy potato gems are great for mouthfeel. The savoury umami of the blue cheese combined perfectly with the sour lemon zest and sweet crunch of the pomegranate arils. This was a terrific meal. It can be eaten alone, and I’m sure it could be shared.

    Custard hunting

    Custard Hunter meme

    Perryman’s Artisan Bakery

    54 Tynte Street, North Adelaide

    A few friends at work recommended the bee sting bun from Perryman’s Bakery as a fantastic example of a South Australian bee sting bun. This morning, I wanted to go custard hunting and decided to pay a visit. The display showcased so many of my favourite pastries that I couldn’t resist buying an apple turnover and a vanilla slice as well.

    The apple turnover ($5.70) is one of the best I’ve eaten. On picking it up, it was heavy with apple filling. The pastry was light and crispy. The cream was delicious; it wasn’t overly sweet, yet it was light and had substance. I’d rate the apple turnover I tried at 10/10.

    The bee sting bun ($5.70) is the best I’ve eaten (certainly better than the ones I’ve eaten in Victoria). The filling was luscious on my tongue and lips. The bread had dried fruit for an extra treat. The almond flakes were crisp and not bitter, unlike some that can be. I was grateful that when I entered the shop, there were none on display, and when I asked, a fresh bee sting bun was made for me. I’d rate the bee sting bun I tried at 10/10.

    The vanilla slice ($5.80) was good. The vanilla custard was firm but not a stiff gelatinous block of snot like many I’ve eaten in Victoria. The icing was sweet but not sickly. The pastry was on the soft side. I’d rate the vanilla slice I tried at 7.5/10.

    As I was looking around, I could see the bread looked fantastic, and I may come back another day to try the sourdough bread.

    The service was friendly and helpful, and if Australia were a tipping economy, I’d leave money for the person who served me.

    Pastries from Perryman's Artisan Bakery. Apple turnover, Bee sting bun, and Vanilla slice.
    Pastries from Perryman's Artisan Bakery. Apple turnover, Bee sting bun, and Vanilla slice.
    Pastries from Perryman's Artisan Bakery. Apple turnover, Bee sting bun, and Vanilla slice.
    Pastries from Perryman's Artisan Bakery. Apple turnover, Bee sting bun, and Vanilla slice.
  • Creamed spinach with blue vein cheese and mushrooms

    Creamed spinach with blue vein cheese and mushrooms


    Today began with strange dreams. I know I tossed and turned a lot. My dreams involved family members in unusual predicaments. Friends’ faces appeared randomly. There were no clear actions in the dreams.

    This morning, I went for a walk along the beach and enjoyed the early sunrise. I expect to continue relishing this until October, when daylight saving time begins, which may affect my mood. Many people prefer walking later in the day. Daylight saving times makes this choice easier. I treasure walking in early morning light and sunshine.

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Butter
    • Spinach leaves
    • Swiss brown mushrooms
    • Cream cheese (softened)
    • Cream
    • Blue vein cheese
    • Salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper

    Method

    1. Roughly cut some Swiss brown mushrooms.
    2. Place a frypan over medium heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt (but not brown).
    3. Sauté the mushrooms.
    4. Increase the heat to medium–high and add the spinach in batches, stirring each handful until just wilted before adding more.
    5. Once all the spinach is wilted, reduce the heat to medium. Stir through the cream cheese and heavy cream until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
    6. Crumble in the blue vein cheese. Remember to stir constantly. Continue to cook for 2–3 minutes. Cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
    7. Season with salt and pepper.

    Make ahead and “safe” storage.

    • This dish can be prepared up to a day in advance.
    • Cool completely, cover and refrigerate.
    • To reheat, gently warm in a saucepan over low heat. Add a splash of cream if the sauce has thickened too much.
    • Enjoy with steak, roast chicken or simply on its own for a luscious side.

    Photographs

    This is a gallery of photographs. Select one and scroll through the rest of the images.

    Thoughts on the meal

    • Sometimes, I enjoy eating spinach leaves. I used to have steamed spinach leaves every morning with some cheese and a steamed egg. Later, I read about some issues related to eating too much spinach.
    • I had the creamed spinach as a side dish with a rump cap steak. The steak and creamed spinach go well together.
    • I enjoyed the meal. It was delicious.

    Questions

    • Do you dream a lot?
    • Do you remember your dreams?
    • How do you feel about daylight saving time?
    • Do you enjoy eating spinach leaves?

    Morning photographs

    ISO 280, focal length 24 mm, shutter speed 1/250th second, and aperture f8.

  • Crumbed chicken and mushroom

    Crumbed chicken and mushroom


    Tonight’s meal is not elaborate. I bought the chicken from my butcher, so I didn’t create the crumbed chicken from scratch. I did make the sauce from basic ingredients.

    Normally, I wouldn’t eat crumbed chicken (or any crumbed meat for that matter). I felt like celebrating.

    I had a pretty good week. I spent a couple of days in Melbourne for work, and last night my footy team, viz., the Dolphins, defeated the Warriors in a tight game. While we led early, we were behind for much of the game and almost the entire second half. A last-minute try sealed the win. The win, however, came at a significant cost. Herbie and Jamayne are injured. Herbie’s hamstring injury may see him out for six weeks. Jamayne strained his groin early in the match and struggled with goal kicking. If he’s out for a few weeks, we’ll feel it. While not injured, Felise was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes at the end of the game. He’s just returned from a two-week suspension, and he may be suspended again. He’s a tough player and, in my opinion, the victim of circumstance.

    Recipe

    Ingredients

    • Crumbed chicken (thigh)
    • Beef fat
    • Pure pouring cream
    • Blue vein cheese
    • Swiss brown mushrooms
    • Butter
    • Black peppercorns

    Equipment

    • Frypan
    • Saucepan
    • Barbecue grill

    Instructions

    Chicken

    1. Heat the barbecue grill.
    2. Melt some beef fat on the grill plate.
    3. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes on each side.

    Mushroom sauce

    1. Sauté the mushrooms in a bit of butter.
    2. Crumble the blue vein cheese into a dash of cream and gently heat in a saucepan while stirring continuously.
    3. When the cheese and cream have “become one,” add in the mushrooms and keep stirring.
    4. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens.

    Serving

    1. Place the crumbed chicken on a plate.
    2. Gently pour the mushroom and cheese sauce over the chicken.
    3. Season with freshly cracked black peppercorns.

    Photographs

    This is a gallery of photographs. Select one and scroll through the gallery.

    Thoughts on the meal

    The crumbed chicken was perfect. The meat was tender and tasty. The crumb had the perfect mouthfeel and absorbed the creamy cheesy sauce beautifully.

    Questions

    1. Do you like crumbed chicken?
    2. Do you like crumbed meat in general?
    3. What’s your favourite dish using crumbed chicken?

    Other photographs

    This is a one-second exposure (handheld) of the shoreline from Henley Beach Jetty this morning, just after sunrise.